WHERE WILL THE BUFFALO ROAM?

Could be in Will County, Illinois in the near future. Officials recently announced a plan that includes the introduction of a herd of bison to the Midewin Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington.  The initial herd could include up to 75 bison managed on 1,000 acres. But they could expand the area and the size of the herd over time.

Most of the Midewin property is comprised of open prairie, grassland, savannah and some timber along several creeks — perfect habitat for bison. According to the plan, they will be completely fenced in for public safety. Eventually there may be observation platforms and a 12-mile tram where the public can come safely view the bison. The plan could take up to 5 years before it comes to fruition.

Located about 40 miles south of Chicago, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie has over 20,000 acres with 7,200 acres and 22 miles of trails open to the public for hiking, biking, horseback riding and hunting. The property is also rich in history. It was formerly home to the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant that produced TNT and various munitions during WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam Conflicts and at one time employed 12,000 people. Certain areas have trails where visitors can actually walk inside the bunkers where the ammunition was once stored.  Midewin is actually part of the Federally-managed National Forest System, and was the very first official National Tallgrass Prairies to be established in the country. The master plan has always been to restore the property to it’s native state of open grasslands and prairie. What better way to restore a natural prairie than with bison — a majestic symbol of the Great American Prairies.

To learn more about Midewin, visit their official website here.